Airdropping cargo is a common approach for providing materials or supplies (collectively called “cargo”) to remote or hostile areas for supporting military troops. In military applications, airdropping cargo allows resupplying forward areas where ground transport of cargo is not feasible. Airdropping cargo can also be used in non-military applications, such as delivery of emergency or relief supplies. In these situations, aircraft can airdrop relief supplies where circumstances may not tolerate the delay associated with ground transportation.
Airdropping cargo has been facilitated by use of global positioning system (“GPS”) technology that allows an accurate indication of the aircraft's current position with respect to the intended drop location on the ground. A computerized system on-board the aircraft receives real-time indications of the aircraft's position, speed, and altitude, as well as other factors, and computes the proper drop position for the aircraft. Once near the drop zone, the cargo ramp and door are opened and an indication is provided for releasing the cargo.
The cargo can include a number of pallets that are airdropped, and there is a time period between the first pallet exiting the aircraft and the last pallet exiting the aircraft. During this time, the aircraft continues to travel along its course. This results in the pallets landing in the drop zone in a spaced-apart, linear manner. The further the pallets are spaced-apart in the drop zone, the more this can complicate recovery of the cargo by ground personnel. Minimizing the time period between deployment of the first pallet and the last pallet can facilitate recovery of the cargo on the ground.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure herein is presented.